Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur provide higher awards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the base game by the player may vary.
Certain known gaming machines are configured to provide an award based on a winning symbol combination that includes one or more Wild symbols. In these gaming machines, the Wild symbols are configured to be analyzed as any symbol necessary to create a winning combination of symbols. For example, a combination of two identical symbols an a Wild symbol may be treated as a combination of three identical symbols.
Gaming machines which provide cascading symbol games are also known. In one such cascading symbol game, a gaming machine generates and displays a plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol positions. The gaming machine evaluates the displayed symbols and provides an award for each winning symbol combination formed. The gaming machine then removes the displayed symbols that form the winning combination(s) of symbols to create one or more empty symbol positions. The gaming machine shifts zero, one, or more of the remaining displayed symbols into zero, one, or more of the empty symbol positions. If any empty symbol positions remain, the gaming machine generates and displays a symbol for each empty symbol position. The gaming machine reevaluates the displayed symbols and provides an award for each winning symbol combination formed. The gaming machine repeats the steps of removing generated symbols, shifting generated symbols, generating new symbols if winning symbol combinations continue to be formed, and evaluating generated symbols. Repeating the steps as described increases player excitement and enjoyment by providing awards for symbol combinations not available for the initial generation of symbols.
There is a continuing need to increase this excitement and entertainment for people playing gaming machines. There is also need for new ways of providing better gaming experiences and environments at gaming machines. There is a further need for increasing the number of awards provided to a player for a single wager on a play of a primary game.